Dark Knights: Anguish
by Krac
Summary: Buffy slaps Willow...Giles sighs...Dawn makes Dru look sane.


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From: Krac  
  
Title: Dark Knights: Anguish  
  
Series/Sequel: Sixth in the Dark Knights world. Follows 'Restoration'.  
  
Author: Krac  
  
E-mail: krac_babee@lycos.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: Buffy and Willow fight over Dawn-who now makes Drusilla seem sane. Buffy slaps Willow…guess one should be careful what they wish for.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BTVS Characters, Joss Whedon, The  
  
WB and Mutant Enemy own them, etc, etc. I only own the story and any  
  
original characters I create along the way.  
  
Distribution: Ask me first.  
  
Feedback: Does Riley lurve cows? Hell yes!  
  
Spoilers: I wanted to ignore everything about this season-Buffy gives me the heebie  
  
jeebies and well sleeping with Spike? What was she thinking? But I really did like the idea of Willow going bad after Tara's death even if I haven't seen it so like a bad girl I added it in. I still detest Buffy though, but if you'd ever read any of my other fic you'd know that by now.  
  
Author's Note: Tee hee, for years I've been looking for a place to vent my hatred of Buffy and now I've found it and I feel-righteous. I control her strings! She dances when I say dance! Pouts when I say pout! MUHAHAHAHAHA I am an evil genius.  
  
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4 Dark Knights: Anguish  
  
The whispers surrounded her, whirling high above her head then swooping low to her feet. As she thought of her feet she tried to move them but to no avail. Turning her attention to her hands she focused-but those too seemed locked in place. Frustrated Dawn howled her displeasure, "Bad, bad, white! Red up!"  
  
Her rage startled her sister who had nodded off at the younger girl's bedside. Cooing Buffy tried to calm the newly souled vampire, "Shhhhush Dawn, it's okay you're safe now."  
  
It was no use, and the vampire continued to thrash on the bed moaning about red and white. A cough sounded at the door; Buffy turned and met Willow's concerned eyes. The witch gestured Buffy into the hallway and giving her sister one quick look Buffy followed. "There's been no change-it's like the soul restoration drove her insane."  
  
Willow cringed and couldn't stop herself from thinking that this latest development would give Buffy another reason to climb up on her big wooden cross. "That is one of the risks when you give a vampire back it's soul Buffy. But now instead of not worrying about what Alex and Des have up their sleeves for us next-we have to care for Dawn. Soul or no I wouldn't trust her-we might be best to stake her."  
  
The weight of the night's events pushed on Buffy-she snapped. Her cast free hand darted out and slapped Willow full across the face. "She's my sister how dare you? You unfeeling bitch!"  
  
"How dare I?" Willow lost her hard won self-control, "Have you not heard anything I said all night? I'm just thinking in everyone's best interests Buffy! Think about it-it took months for you to finally kill Angelus the first time around. Of course that was after he had killed Jenny, Kendra and nearly killed the rest of us by plunging the earth into Hell. If Xander hadn't conveniently forgotten to tell you I was trying to restore his soul again you would never have done it! Now this is your sister, I know you love her but we can't afford a replay of that situation-I've lost enough people I love because of you."  
  
Buffy blinked at the naked hate in her friend's eyes and returned Willow's steely gaze with one of her own. "If you so much as lay a hand on her I'll kill you."  
  
Shrugging her shoulders Willow drew away having said her piece, "You don't want me as an enemy Buffy-you've lost enough allies. The chair you stand on only has two legs left, how long could you balance it if you lost me as well? I'm thinking for everyone's best interests and if it comes down to saving everything or killing Dawn-you'll have to look for your sister in an ashtray."  
  
Battle lines drawn Buffy watched Willow walk down the stairs without a backward glance. Her features tight Buffy turned back to her sister's room and returned to her chair to keep her vigil.  
  
***********  
  
"Giles?" the former watcher lifted his head wearily as if he hadn't been dosing in his chair.  
  
"Yes Willow?" He asked taking note of her firm 'resolve face'.  
  
Sitting in front of him the young witch laid her cards on the table, "I've made my position clear to Buffy-if Dawn doesn't regain her sanity I think we should stake her. Soul or not if there's no change in her soon then she'll be a danger to us all-especially when she's hungry."  
  
"I suppose Buffy didn't appreciate your honesty?" he pointed to the welt appearing on her white skin-Buffy's calling card.  
  
Shaking her head Willow's eyes hardened, "No. Why should she? After all she is our great and powerful martyr."  
  
"Oh Willow," he sighed at her vehemence.  
  
"It's okay Giles," She smiled thinly, "First Tara's death and now Xander's…I just can't see Buffy in the same light any more. A person can only be told they should be grateful so many times before you want to strike out. I think I was just too awed by her to realize how self- absorbed she is. Surely you've seen it-you can't tell me she isn't Giles. Otherwise she would have thought and given Xander back his soul. Now I'm just not sure we can beat them…" her voice lowered, "I'm not sure I want us to."  
  
Taking her hand gently in his own Giles felt a wave of compassion for the girl, "Sometimes fighting for right means going backward three steps for every one we take forward. But we can't just throw our hope away."  
  
"Giles," Willow looked deep into his eyes and he could see the pain hidden there, "Because of her the only things that gave me hope are dead."  
  
***************  
  
Sitting heavily Buffy stared at her hands; she had just hit Willow. Willow- her best friend and staunchest ally. In return Willow had given her an emotional wallop and Buffy had no doubt that Willow would indeed kill Dawn if she were given the choice. Turning her eyes to her sister's pitiable form Buffy had to wonder if it wouldn't be for the best.  
  
A whimper escaped Dawn's pale lips, "Buffy…"  
  
"Yes Dawn?" Buffy leaned in hoping against hope that the girl's sanity had returned.  
  
Dawn's face morphed from it's sweet human familiarity to the evil gaze of the vampire she was, "Sooo white Buffy…white hurts…want red…red warm…red gooood…make Dawnie red."  
  
Horror filled the Slayer-Dawn was hungry and only one thing would satisfy her-blood. Torn Buffy simply stared at the writhing mass that was her sister. "Lover come back make Dawnie red…then black…black is best…black is Des…" Dawn sang innocently then licked her fangs, "Let Dawnie go to Lover…let Dawnie be red…white hurts Dawnie."  
  
Staring into Dawn's unearthly eyes Buffy knelt and picked up Mr. Pointy from his resting place under the bed and held it just above Dawn's heart. When she had placed it there Buffy had never thought she might have to stake Dawn. The vampire's eyes widened then slipped away as her human face returned, "Doesn't Buffy love Dawnie?"  
  
The simple words struck Buffy to the core and she lowered the stake to her side; tears seeping from her eyes. Willow had been right. Buffy couldn't kill Dawn, even if it was the right thing-hell the only thing to do. When push had come to shove she had already chosen to die in her sister's place before.  
  
Pushing back a stray lock of Dawn's hair Buffy sobbed, "Buffy loves Dawn very much."  
  
"Then make Dawnie red." The tone of voice took Buffy's breath away and through her tears she knew what she would do.  
  
Drawing out a knife Buffy cut into her left forearm awkwardly with her still broken right hand, and watched blood pool on the surface bright and red. Fighting her revulsion she placed it to her sister's waiting mouth. Greedily, Dawn lapped at the wound small moans of happiness escaped her blood stained lips. Leaning back so that she could relax while Dawn fed Buffy wiped at her tears with her free hand. Des was right. Buffy had seen it in Willow's eyes not to mention Giles'-this was all her fault. If she hadn't made up excuses for so many years she and Xander could have been happy together-he'd be alive.  
  
Pulling her arm away gently, Buffy wrapped a pillowcase around the cut and elevated her arm against her chest. Trying to stem the flow of her tears Buffy sighed knowing that in this battle she would never have the heart to kill Xander. He was her heart. 


End file.
